1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat sink assembly, and more particularly to a heat sink assembly having a heat sink and a clip, wherein the clip can reliably secure the heat sink on an electronic device, and wherein when the clip is assembled to the heat sink, a horizontally lateral movement of the clip relative to the heat sink is effectively prohibited.
2. Description of Related Art
Advances in microelectronics technology have resulted in electronic devices which process signals and data at unprecedented high speeds. During operation of many contemporary electronic devices such as central processing units (CPUs), solid-state circuits, and light emitting diode (LED) display units, large amounts of heat are produced. This heat must be efficiently removed to prevent the system from becoming unstable or being damaged.
Typically, a heat sink assembly is used to cool the electronic device. The heat sink assembly comprises a heat sink attached to an outer surface of the electronic device to facilitate removal of heat therefrom and a clip for fastening the heat sink to the electronic device. The heat sink includes a base and a plurality of fins extending from the base. A channel is defined between every two adjacent fins. The clip extends through one of the channels and abuts against a top surface of the base, with two ends thereof locked on a printed circuit board on which the electronic device is mounted to provide pressure for securing the heat sink on the electronic device.
In the heat sink assembly mentioned above, the clip can firmly secure the heat sink on the electronic device along a perpendicular direction. However, the clip does not have a mechanism for effectively preventing the heat sink from a lateral movement, which results in a possible horizontal movement of the clip relative to the heat sink when the heat sink assembly is subject to vibration. The horizontal movement of the heat sink assembly lowers the heat dissipation effectiveness achievable by the heat sink.
What is needed, therefore, is a heat sink assembly having a heat sink and a clip locked on the heat sink, wherein the clip can reliably secure the heat sink in position so that the heat sink will not have a horizontally lateral movement relative to the heat sink.